I dare say that people began to take Honda seriously nearly a decade earlier when it created a four-stroke GP bike, the incredible 250 Six, that beat the best the world could offer.

Very true, though Mike the Bike had something to do with it too. My perspective is colored by my obsession with Motocross at that time and it was the Elsinore that caught everyone flat footed. At least from a what you could buy point of view, the Suzuki factory bikes the Belgians rode were a far cry from the TM400 you could buy .

Very true, though Mike the Bike had something to do with it too. My perspective is colored by my obsession with Motocross at that time and it was the Elsinore that caught everyone flat footed. At least from a what you could buy point of view, the Suzuki factory bikes the Belgians rode were a far cry from the TM400 you could buy .

Unfortunately for Honda the 4stroke engine had reached it's limit with the technology available and became incapable of competing with the 2stroke in GP racing. That GP win was the last for many years until 4strokes returned by fiat.

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"Make no mistake, Communism lost a big argument - one we know today as the 20th century."

Unfortunately for Honda the 4stroke engine had reached it's limit with the technology available and became incapable of competing with the 2stroke in GP racing. That GP win was the last for many years until 4strokes returned by fiat.

__________________
"Make no mistake, Communism lost a big argument - one we know today as the 20th century."

Unfortunately for Honda the 4stroke engine had reached it's limit with the technology available and became incapable of competing with the 2stroke in GP racing. That GP win was the last for many years until 4strokes returned by fiat.

As the former owner of an RZ500, I'm aware that two-strokes have a massive power/weight advantage. But keep in mind that it took until 1971 that a two-stroke won a 500cc GP, and MV Agusta won the '74 title with a four-stroke. It took some time - and Honda's withdrawal from GP racing in 1968 - before two-smokers became dominant.

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"The trouble with the world is that the Stupid are c0cksure and the Intelligent are full of doubt." -Bertrand Russell

Indeed. Honda with its brilliant "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" campaign together with affordable and reliable motorcycles, changed the face of the m/c world. Too bad the company became so hidebound in recent years, following the industry instead of leading it. However new models this year may signal a shift back to a motorcycle division run by m/cers rather than a committee of car guys.

__________________
"Make no mistake, Communism lost a big argument - one we know today as the 20th century."

Indeed. Honda with its brilliant "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" campaign together with affordable and reliable motorcycles, changed the face of the m/c world. Too bad the company became so hidebound inrecent years, follwing the industry instead of leading it. However new models this year may signal a shift back to a motorcycle division run by m/cers rather than a committee of car guys.